Showing results by narrator "Cathy Dobson" in All Categories

"Twenty-Six Men and a Girl" is a short story written by the Russian writer Maxim Gorky in 1899, and is one of his most famous. It is a pioneering tale of social realism (the story predates Soviet socialist realism), and is a lament of lost ideals. Twenty-six men slave away in a cellar, making kringles, looked down on by all around them, including the bread bakers. Their only joy in their lives is the 16-year-old Tanya, who visits them every morning to collect kringles.

A collection of strange and often grisly tales by some of the world's greatest writers, ranging from mildly unsettling to hair-raising.

'La Belle Dame Sans Merci' is a haunting ballad describing a young knight whose very lifeblood and vitality have been drained by a beautiful but parasitic, fairylike vampire. This knight has now been left as an undead shell of his former self, alone on a barren hillside.

A collection of 45 short stories which threaten to unhinge the listener's mind. Strange phenomena, insane genius, inexplicable happenings and the inability to deal with life and death are all themes which run through this brilliant selection.

A golden collection of gems from classic German literature, ranging from early Sturm und Drang, through Gothic horror, to some of the finest stories from later German Romanticism.

Fleete, a relative newcomer to India, becomes extremely drunk on New Year's Eve and on the way home desecrates the temple of the monkey-god Hanuman, by stubbing out his cigar on the statue of the deity. A mysterious leper appears and bites Fleete on the chest, leaving a strange mark. Another priest warns Fleete that Hanuman has not yet finished with him.During the next day, Fleete's behaviour becomes stranger and stranger. He gnaws ravenously on raw meat, grovels in the earth of the garden and begins to howl like a wolf.

The Magic Casket describes a classic case for Dr. Thorndyke. It tells the story of an ordinary and apparently quite worthless metal casket, which conceals a mysterious secret which nearly costs a young woman her life.

A splendid collection of seafarers' tales. "Choice Spirits", by W. W. Jacobs; "A Descent into the Maelström", by Edgar Allan Poe; "Pickled Herring", by W. W. Jacobs; "The Secret Sharer", by Joseph Conrad; "Mixed Relations", by W. W. Jacobs; "The Upper Berth", by F. Marion Crawford; "The Finest Story in the World", by Rudyard Kipling; and many more.

David Herbert Richards Lawrence (1885-1930) is recognized as one of the greatest English novelists, poets, playwrights and short story writers. His works address such themes as emotional health, vitality, spontaneity and instinct, wrapped up in gripping plots which range from the poignant to the downright creepy.

Many stories have stood the test of time, but this selection have entranced audiences for thousands of years and remain as fresh today as they were when first told. A fascinating collection which gives vivid insights into lives in ancient times and the issues that occupied the people of the day.

A creepy collection of the very best Gothic tales from the masters of suspense, horror, supernatural and occult fiction. 1.The Room in the Tower by E. F. Benson 2. Afterward by Edith Wharton 3.The Green Light by Barry Pain 4. Fingers of a Hand by H. D. Everett 5. The Squaw by Bram Stoker 6. The Dancing Partner by Jerome K. Jerome 7. Lost in a Pyramid by Louisa M. Alcott 8. The Girl who was Tired of Love by Leonard Merrick 9. The Parasite by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 10. The House with the Brick Kiln by E. F.

Eight brilliant short stories from the best female short story writer of her age. Katherine Mansfield's wit, pathos and descriptive genius combine in this collection to take the listener from a wry smile one minute to the verge of tears the next.

Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton (1874 - 1922) was a polar explorer who led three British expeditions to the Antarctic. 'The Voyage of the James Caird' is the story of Shackleton's 1916 failed attempt at a crossing of Antarctica from sea to sea via the pole. The expedition turned to disaster when Shackleton's ship, Endurance, became trapped in pack ice and was slowly crushed. The crew escaped by camping on the sea ice until it disintegrated, then by launching the lifeboats to reach Elephant Island.

Joseph Smith Fletcher (1863 – 1935) was a British journalist and author. He wrote more than 230 books on a wide variety of subjects, both fiction and non-fiction. He was one of the leading writers of detective fiction in the Victorian "Golden Age" of the short story. "The Earl, the Warder and the Wayward Heiress" is the story of a ten thousand pound bet between young gentlemen in their club.

Andrew Lang (1844-1912) was a Scottish poet and novelist, best known as a collector of folk and fairy tales. 'The Three Dogs' tells the story of a shepherd who trades his three sheep with a stranger for three dogs with magical powers. The dogs are able to help him slay a dragon and win a princess.

A brilliant anthology of weird and fantastic stories about islands and sea monsters. 'The Sea-Raiders' by H. G. Wells. 'Alone on a Wide Wide Sea' by J. S. Fletcher. 'Dagon' by H. P. Lovecraft. 'A Tropical Horror' by William Hope Hodgson. 'No Ships Pass' by Eleanor Smith. 'Aepyornis Island' by H. G. Wells. 'The Vengeance of La Maraye' by J. S. Fletcher. 'Absolute Evil' by Julian Hawthorne. 'The Shadows' by Henry S. Whitehead. 'The Lighthouse on Shivering Sand' by J. S. Fletcher. 'Over the Border' by Morgan Robertson. 'Treasure Trove' by Neil Munro.

Stephen Crane (1871-1900) was a prolific American poet, novelist, and short story writer. He is recognized by modern critics as one of the most innovative writers of his generation. 'The Black Dog' is a supernatural tale of a group of travellers who seek shelter in a remote cabin where an old man lies dying. They hear from the man's nephew of a local tale that when death arrives, it is preceded by the appearance of a ghostly black dog which howls outside the house.

Patricio Lafcadio Tessima Carlos Hearn (1850-1904) was the son of a British father and Greek mother. He spent his early life in England, Ireland, France and America before moving in 1890 to Japan, where he married and settled. His most famous works are retellings of Japanese and Chinese folktales, in particular those of a ghostly or macabre nature. 'The Story of Chugoro' is the tale of a young man who is enticed into the clutches of a vampiric frog.

Banjo Paterson's wry tale of a pugilistic sheep-worrying hound on a remote sheep station in Australia. When Hughey wants a dog "as can fight" the Super brings him Stumpy, a psychotic canine whose ability to murder other members of his own and other species is undisputed. Hughey's dog becomes the sensation of the station, but when he is unleashed on an invading dingo pack, things do not turn out as Hughey intends. Stumpy's downfall come from a vendetta he has with the Dutch cook on the station.

A glittering collection of humorous stories by classic authors, including 'The Tremendous Adventures of Major Brown' by G.K. Chesterton, 'The Talking Horse' by Thomas Anstey Guthrie, 'The Seventh Pullet' by Saki, 'Biffin on the Bassoon' by Harry Graham, 'The Scharz-Metterklume Method' by Saki, 'The Chaplet' by Saki, 'The Facts' by Ring Lardner, 'A Dissertation Upon Roasted Pig' by Charles Lamb, 'Fur' by Saki, and 'The Lumber Room' by Saki'.